It is now illegal to photograph the police in the UK

Since Monday, it has become illegal to take pictures of police engaged in counter-terrorist operations. Which, in practice, is essentially a ban on taking pictures of the police.

Although I write as someone who has no particular axe to grind about the police, I am beginning to wonder whether we have a serious problem with a police force that believes it is entitled to monitor political activity. Set against the new law banning photographs of the police - which surely will be used by every policeman parked on a double yellow line or meting out the rough justice - there is increasing tendency of the police to photograph people in an aggressive fashion. It shows an innate lack of respect for the innocent citizen and the conventions of our free society, which is extremely disturbing.